Deck 8: How Does the Nervous System Develop and Adapt 

Question 1

Male and female genitalia become differentiated at around:

A)30 days.
B)60 days.
C)4 months.
D)6 months.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The frontal lobes are fully developed:

A)at birth.
B)around age 5.
C)around age 10.
D)None of the answers is correct.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

It is possible to test planning capability by using the:

A)Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale.
B)digit span test.
C)Tower of Hanoi test.
D)mirror drawing test.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The idea of preformation would imply that:

A)an embryo is a miniature adult.
B)embryos of different species look different.
C)embryos should look nothing like an adult.
D)embryos of different species look different and embryos should look nothing like an adult.

Question 5

After 9 weeks of prenatal development, a(n) _____ is considered a(n) _____.

A)embryo; fetus
B)zygote; egg
C)zygote; embryo
D)embryo; zygote

Question 6

Neuroimaging studies of brain development have revealed that children from families with low SES (socioeconomic status) show _____ and score _____ on tests of cognitive performance.

A)decreased cortical surface area; lower
B)decreased cortical surface area; the same as high-SES peers
C)the same cortical surface area as their high-SES peers; lower
D)increased cortical surface area; higher

Question 7

The central nervous system originates from the neural:

A)crest.
B)tube.
C)envelope.
D)palace.

Question 8

After the second week of prenatal development, a(n) _____ progresses to become a(n) _____.

A)zygote; embryo
B)embryo; zygote
C)zygote; fetus
D)embryo; fetus

Question 9

A primitive brain can be seen in a human embryo by the _____ week after conception.

A)first
B)second
C)third
D)fourth

Question 10

The forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain are first visible in a human embryo after about:

A)10 days.
B)14 days.
C)28 days.
D)35 days.

Question 11

Which of the following is NOT a perspective on brain development?

A)The structural development of the brain can be correlated with emerging behaviors.
B)Hormone release is the main driver of brain development and behavior.
C)Behavioral development can be correlated with neural maturation.
D)Factors that influence both brain and behavior should be identified and studied.

Question 12

Low SES is associated with which of the following?

A)poor nutrition
B)high stress
C)insufficient prenatal and infant care
D)all of the above

Question 13

Children are unable to speak at birth because they _____ to do so.

A)have not been taught
B)lack the neural structures
C)lack the vocal structures
D)have no motivation

Question 14

Testosterone:

A)is present only after the testes are formed.
B)affects the peripheral sexual characteristics but not the development of the brain.
C)affects the peripheral sexual characteristics and the development of the brain in males.
D)affects the number of neurons formed in certain brain areas and reduces the number of neurons that die.

Question 15

In human embryos, gyri and sulci first start to form after about:

A)30 days.
B)5 months.
C)7 months.
D)9 months.

Question 16

The ability to plan efficiently is a cognitive behavior controlled by the:

A)parietal lobes.
B)temporal lobes.
C)occipital lobes.
D)frontal lobes.

Question 17

_____ have an extensive capacity for self-renewal.

A)Stem cells
B)Progenitor cells
C)Glial cells
D)Neuroblasts

Question 18

Which of the following is NOT a correct statement about development?

A)The brain of a child is the same as that of an adult, only smaller.
B)Because there are behaviors that develop late, there must be neural structures that develop late.
C)Because some brain structures develop late, there must be some behaviors that develop late.
D)Children's brains contain different structures at different ages.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is true?

A)Embryos of different species more closely resemble their parents than each other.
B)Embryos of different species more closely resemble each other than their parents.
C)Embryos of mammals closely resemble each other but do not resemble the embryos of other species.
D)Embryos of different species do not resemble each other at all.

Question 20

Sexual differentiation occurs by the end of the _____ month of gestation.

A)first
B)second
C)third
D)fourth

Question 21

Progenitor cells come from:

A)neuroblasts.
B)stem cells.
C)glioblasts.
D)glial cells.

Question 22

Cells in layer _____ of the cortex develop first.

A)I
B)III
C)IV
D)VI

Question 23

_____ is the process that works to suppress gene expression during development.

A)Methylation
B)Mutation
C)Translation
D)Transcription

Question 24

Neuronal differentiation is largely complete by:

A)8 weeks.
B)23 weeks.
C)29 weeks.
D)11 weeks.

Question 25

Neurogenesis (the process of forming neurons) is largely complete after about _____ weeks of gestation.

A)5
B)25
C)50
D)10

Question 26

Which of the following sequences is correct?

A)stem, progenitor, blast, glia
B)progenitor, stem, blast, glia
C)blast, stem, progenitor, glia
D)stem, progenitor, glia, blast

Question 27

If you want to stimulate the production of progenitor cells in a stem cell culture, you should add the compound:

A)nerve growth factor.
B)fibroblast growth factor.
C)epidermal growth factor.
D)testosterone.

Question 28

In an adult, stem cells are found in the:

A)hippocampus.
B)ventricles.
C)pia mater.
D)CSF.

Question 29

The majority of glial cells migrate to their correct locations via:

A)neurotrophic factors.
B)radial glial cells.
C)chemical signals.
D)EGF.

Question 30

Compounds that signal brain cells to develop in certain ways are called:

A)progenitors.
B)neurotropic factors.
C)somites.
D)chemical factors.

Question 31

Neuroblasts and glioblasts are formed directly from:

A)pyramidal cells.
B)progenitor cells.
C)the ventricles.
D)the neural tube.

Question 32

The brain can cope with injury more easily during:

A)differentiation.
B)cell migration.
C)neurogenesis.
D)neuron maturation.

Question 33

New neurons continue to develop throughout life in the:

A)entire brain.
B)hypothalamus.
C)hippocampus.
D)basal ganglia.

Question 34

Which of the following is the correct sequence of brain development?

A)cell birth, cell differentiation, cell migration, myelogenesis
B)cell birth, cell migration, cell differentiation, cell maturation
C)cell birth, cell maturation, cell differentiation, cell migration
D)cell birth, cell maturation, myelogenesis, cell migration

Question 35

Neuronal maturation involves _____ and _____.

A)migration; specialization
B)dendrite growth; synapse formation
C)migration; synapse formation
D)specialization; dendrite growth

Question 36

Cells find their appropriate locations by following a road laid down by:

A)astrocytes.
B)oligodendrocytes.
C)radial glial cells.
D)epithelial cells.

Question 37

Cell differentiation:

A)occurs after neural maturation.
B)occurs after migration.
C)occurs before neuron generation.
D)is not complete until well after birth.

Question 38

_____ can be used to stimulate progenitor cells to produce neuroblasts.

A)Nerve growth factor
B)BDNF
C)bFGF
D)EGF

Question 39

The _____ is thought to contain a primitive map or blueprint of the cortex that tells developing neurons to which location to migrate.

A)brainstem
B)thalamus
C)subventricular zone
D)hippocampus

Question 40

Prenatal stress _____ gene methylation.

A)can increase
B)can reduce
C)can reverse
D)has no influence on

Question 41

The dendritic field in _____ starts off very simply but becomes increasingly complex until about 2 years of age.

A)the visual cortex
B)Broca's area
C)the auditory cortex
D)the somatosensory cortex

Question 42

Jeffrey is 6 years old. He is socially awkward and did not learn to walk until he was almost 2 years old. In addition, he still has a hard time using a fork or spoon to feed himself. He is obsessed with model airplanes (he has more than 200 models and can name each one). Playing with his model airplanes is the only activity he engages in unless he is pressured into doing something else. Jeffrey MOST likely has:

A)Asperger syndrome.
B)savant syndrome.
C)Rett syndrome.
D)William syndrome.

Question 43

Growth cones are the growing tips of:

A)filopodia.
B)neurons.
C)axons.
D)dendrites.

Question 44

The process of dendrite growth that occurs in the first 2 years of life is referred to as:

A)arborization.
B)extension.
C)sprouting.
D)shaping.

Question 45

Which of the following statements about synaptic pruning is NOT true?

A)Synaptic pruning probably can be influenced by drugs.
B)Synaptic pruning is proportionally larger in smaller-brained animals.
C)Synaptic pruning is probably influenced by hormones.
D)Synaptic pruning is probably influenced by experience.

Question 46

There are approximately _____ synapses in the human cerebral cortex.

A)10 million
B)100,000 billion
C)100,000 trillion
D)10 trillion

Question 47

Santiago Ramón y Cajal was the first scientist to:

A)study autism spectrum disorder.
B)discover and describe growth cones.
C)use a microscope to study neural development.
D)discover glial cells.

Question 48

Which of the following guide growth cones to their appropriate destination?

A)tropic molecules
B)neurotrophic factors
C)adhesion molecules
D)tropic and adhesion molecules

Question 49

In an experiment examining the ability of children to discriminate speech sounds of various languages, Werker and Tees found that:

A)children younger than 2 years had no discrimination ability.
B)children could discriminate, but the ability declines over the first year of life.
C)children begin to discriminate during the first year, and this ability continues to grow until they begin to speak at around age 2.
D)children are better at discriminating sounds than adults.

Question 50

It is estimated that synaptic pruning eliminates approximately _____ percent of synapses in the human cortex.

A)10
B)40
C)50
D)65

Question 51

Chemoattractive molecules are called _____ and guide axons, while chemorepulsive molecules are called _____ and prevent axon extension in their vicinity.

A)growth cones; filopodia
B)semaphorins; netrins
C)netrins; semaphorins
D)synapses; netrins

Question 52

Jane is 7 years old. She has very poor language skills and is incredibly clumsy with her hands. Jane may have:

A)savant syndrome.
B)Asperger syndrome.
C)Rett syndrome.
D)William syndrome.

Question 53

In the 1990s, rates of autism were approximately 1 in 2000. However, recent estimates suggest that as many as 1 in _____ children has some form of autism.

A)198
B)76,000
C)68
D)1000

Question 54

Neural Darwinism is the hypothesis that competition among neurons leads to:

A)the increased production of cells.
B)cell death and synaptic pruning.
C)increased activity and growth among synapses.
D)the reduced secretion of specific hormones.

Question 55

Children with ASD display:

A)excessive brain volume in the amygdala.
B)lower-than-normal brain volume in the amygdala.
C)excessive brain volume in the hippocampus.
D)changes in brain structure but no changes in brain volume.

Question 56

Cortical myelination:

A)is completed by age 10.
B)varies by cortical region.
C)was disproved by Paul Flechsig.
D)begins with areas that control the highest mental functions.

Question 57

Genetically programmed cell death is known as:

A)apoptosis.
B)necrosis.
C)structural damage.
D)the death of sodium-potassium pumps.

Question 58

One reason cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain die during synaptic pruning is that they must compete for limited:

A)radial glial cells.
B)cell adhesion molecules.
C)nerve growth factor.
D)tropic molecules.

Question 59

Dendrites develop on cells:

A)before differentiation.
B)before migration.
C)after cell maturation.
D)during cell maturation.

Question 60

_____ is a molecule that helps cells bind to one another to aid in migration.

A)A tropic molecule
B)Nerve growth factor
C)A cell adhesion molecule
D)A trophic molecule

Question 61

Language development in children aged 2 to 4 years has been linked with:

A)pruning of neurons in the left inferior frontal gyrus.
B)pruning of neurons in superior temporal gyrus.
C)thickening of the cortex in the left inferior frontal cortex areas.
D)thinning of the cortex in the mouth region of the primary motor cortex.

Question 62

Research has demonstrated that aversive childhood experiences (e.g., verbal or physical abuse) are linked with:

A)increased rates of mental illness in middle age.
B)increased rates of suicide in middle age.
C)increased rates of addiction in middle age.
D)all of the answers are correct.

Question 63

Which of the following is NOT associated with brain growth up to age 16?

A)an increase in the number of neurons
B)an increase in the number of glial cells
C)an increase in the number of synapses
D)an increase in the number of blood vessels

Question 64

The pincer grasp:

A)is a reflex present at birth.
B)is not evident until age 2.
C)develops between 8 and 11 months of age.
D)disappears as the motor cortex develops.

Question 65

Which of the following sequences is correct according to Piaget's theory of cognitive development?

A)sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete operational, formal operational
B)sensorimotor, concrete operational, preoperational, formal operational
C)sensorimotor, concrete operational, formal operational, preoperational
D)sensorimotor, preoperational, formal operational, concrete operational

Question 66

_____ of the motor cortex is associated with enhanced dexterity, and _____ of the left inferior frontal cortex is associated with increased language abilities.

A)Thinning; thinning
B)Thickening; thickening
C)Thinning; thickening
D)Thickening; thinning

Question 67

Kristen likes it when her mom cuts her sandwich into four pieces because she likes having four sandwiches instead of just one. Based on what you know about Piaget's theory of cognitive development and assuming that Kristen is a normally developing child, pick the age that most accurately represents how old Kristen might be.

A)5
B)13
C)9
D)11

Question 68

The dendritic spine density on the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is greatest in:

A)children.
B)teenagers.
C)adults.
D)older adults (i.e., age 65+).

Question 69

The typical 6-year-old has a:

A)300- to 600-word vocabulary.
B)600- to 1000-word vocabulary.
C)1000- to 2000-word vocabulary.
D)2000- to 2500-word vocabulary.

Question 70

While William is playing a game with his little brother, he takes his brother's favorite stuffed animal and hides it underneath a blanket. His little brother then grabs the blanket to reveal the hidden toy. It appears as though William's little brother has progressed past the:

A)preoperational period.
B)concrete operational period.
C)sensorimotor period.
D)formal operational period.

Question 71

The nonmatching-to-sample task described in your textbook is thought to measure the functions of the:

A)frontal lobes.
B)temporal lobes.
C)basal ganglia.
D)limbic system.

Question 72

The _____ lobe is especially sensitive to epigenetic influences and is the last region in the brain to mature.

A)occipital
B)temporal
C)frontal
D)parietal

Question 73

According to Piaget, in which development stage do children first begin to understand mathematical transformations?

A)preoperational period
B)concrete operational period
C)sensorimotor period
D)formal operational period

Question 74

The _____ stage involves the ability to reason abstractly and occurs sometime after _____.

A)preoperational; ages 2-6
B)concrete operational; ages 11-12
C)formal operational; ages 11-12
D)formal operational; ages 7-11

Question 75

Which of the following statements regarding language areas of the cortex is NOT correct?

A)Changes in dendritic complexity in speech areas are among the most impressive in the brain.
B)Language areas are the earliest regions of the cortex to complete myelination.
C)Between 15 and 24 months of age, there is a dramatic increase in the density of dendrites and axons in the language areas.
D)By age 2 cell division and migration are complete in the language zones of the cerebral cortex.

Question 76

Growth spurts up to age 16 account for large increases in brain weight. This is MOST likely due to increases in:

A)the number of neurons.
B)the number of glial cells, myelin, synapses, and larger blood vessels.
C)myelination.
D)neural pruning.

Question 77

The concurrent discrimination task described in your textbook is thought to measure the functions of the:

A)frontal lobes.
B)temporal lobes.
C)basal ganglia.
D)brainstem.

Question 78

Increases in cortical thickness in the hand area of the primary motor cortex are associated with increases in:

A)hand size.
B)grip strength.
C)manual dexterity.
D)tendon brittleness.

Question 79

The default network is formed by:

A)connecting synapses in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).
B)interacting regions of the spinal column.
C)interacting regions of the cerebral cortex.
D)connections between axons.

Question 80

Children who score high on intelligence tests show the greatest plastic changes in their _____ over time.

A)parietal lobe
B)temporal lobe
C)frontal lobe
D)hippocampus